nMediaPC HTPC 8000 Case

Home Theater Personal Computers, or HTPCs as enthusiasts abbreviate them, may soon once again be all the craze. Very recently the ultra-compact NVIDIA ION platform offered up HD video and Blu-Ray content over native HDMI, and leaves the entertainment center with plenty of room left over for other components. But for those wanting just a little more, such as discrete graphics for intense CrossFire or SLI gaming, you'll need an HTPC case with full-size ATX motherboard compatibility. nMediaPC knows there's still a market for home theater PC enthusiasts, which is why the HTPC-8000 case was designed. A stained-wood case with old-time looks is modern enough to deliver LCD-based programmable Media Center Edition (MCE) display. Benchmark Reviews explores the nMedia HTPC-8000 media center computer case and delivers the verdict on HTPCs.

When it comes to computer cases, especially media center cases, everyone has their own preference. While my tastes generally prefer ultra-compact cases, I also like a HTPC enclosure that bring positive attention to itself. The nMediaPC HTPC 8000 dark wood Media Center Edition case is exactly that product. During testing, I changed my mind several times, and then decided that the antique Cherry wood HTPC-8000 case was more like a standalone piece of furniture than anything else. While most users would make their system purpose-driven, I wanted the HTPC 8000 to house a Windows 7 media center computer and do anything and everything my gaming PC could do. But the possibilities are seemingly endless.

My mind wandered... this is wood, not metal, and therefore I can 'mod' this case with more flexibility than anything else. I dreamt up a design that hinges the top lid to the rest of the enclosure, and flips up to reveal an embedded media center keyboard and LCD screen attached to the underside. There's so much room inside the HTPC-8000 that I even considered mounting speakers inside the cabinet; and they'd fit perfectly. When it was time to sit down and write this review, I knew that it would be best to simply share the ideas than to limit myself to only one. This is the story of the best-looking HTPC case I've ever handled...

About nMedia Systems

Northern California, Castro Valley-based NMEDIA SYSTEM, INC. was founded in 2004. nMedia describes their vision as creating a future home entertainment PC system that is optimal for today's consumer electronic gear such as HDTVs and Home Theater Projectors.

nMedia manufactures Home Theater PC (HTPC) components to integrate various home Audio/Video functions and performance computing into one easy-to-use unit, and deliver consumers the rich home entertainment experiences for a new level of control and convenience.

Comments

This is an amazing piece of hardware. Your comment is pretentious, and lends nothing to the discussion. Good things:1) Air Flow / Cooling - Amazing for what it is, high-end components with NOT overheat. Comes with a 140mm fan, you can also add 2x 92mm fans2) Noise - Wooden case, plus lots of silicone/rubber gromments that come with it3) Full ATX - allows for FULL ATX MB/Power Supply4) Room - Roomy enough for all full-sized graphics cards5) Price - easily competes with other HTPC cases. You can find this for under $100. 6) It's not PVC/Plywood. It's REAL FREAKIN WOOD. 7) It has STEEL. Not cheap aluminum.

If you are looking for a "retro" case for HTPC, this is your ready-made guy. You can build one yourself, but for it's price, just buy this one unless you have specific custom applications and hardware.